First you'll want buy yourself some concord grapes. I bought 1 "lug". Someone told me that a "lug" is a 3/4 bushel. Next, wash the grapes.
Pick the grapes off the vine.
Next, you'll want to bring 24 cups of water to a boil. Once the water is boiling add 10 cups of grapes. Bring back to a boil and simmer for 5 minutes.
Next you'll want to get a colander, line it with cheesecloth*, and set the colander inside a large bowl. 
Strain the grapes through the colander. It's kinda a messy job! I'm a neat, clean person and I haven't figured out a way to can grape juice without making a mess.
Once all the juice has drained off of the grapes add 4 cups sugar. Now I always cut back on sugar. I probably added 3 1/4 cups sugar. You can add however much sugar you want. We don't like to have our juice so sweet. Next pour the grape juice into jars and water bathe for 5 minutes.
I ended up with 37 qts of grape juice. I even kept out a nice bowlful of grapes just to eat fresh.
I ended up with 37 qts of grape juice. I even kept out a nice bowlful of grapes just to eat fresh.Edit: This grape juice is ready to drink. It is NOT a concentrate.
*Cheesecloth can be found at Wal-Mart in the craft section.
Wow! Sounds like a lot of work! I am also somewhat of a "neat freak" especially in the kitchen. If I make a mess, I clean it before I go on...but canning is just plain messy and yucky...I am always so relieved to have my kitchen clean again!
ReplyDeleteLooks like some yummy juice!
By the way...how do you do those "frame things" for your pictures?...I could never figure it out...
ReplyDeleteThanks for these instructions. It looks like a good way to do it. I have a steamer and that works really well too but I wonder if we might like the juice done this way better.
ReplyDeleteValerie
Is this a concentrate or do you just open it and drink it that way. Valerie
ReplyDeleteIt looks delicious. I've never done it this way either. I always just put the grapes in the jar. I'm not going to do any this year, though, so maybe another year I'll have to give it a try.
ReplyDeleteWoW! Looks tons more simple thaen how my sister does hers! I think she has a steamer, too... but it takes a couple hours and is very time consuming. This makes me want to try it! And I'm guess with all the water you added that it's ready to drink straight from the jar?
ReplyDeleteRachal-
ReplyDeleteI'm not sure how I got it set up for the frame things to be around the pictures. It actually happened be chance. I'll have to look at the set up and let you know.
Twila-
I used to always put my grapes in the jars when canning grape juice but decided to give it a try like this last year. Jeremy wasn't too sure about it. He was afraid that the grape flavor wouldn't be as rich. But he was quite impressed that it tastes the same. It's alittle more work doing it this way but I like the fact that I don't have any grapes to discard when I open a jar of juice. Another plus is you only have to water bathe it for 5 minutes.
Amy & Valerie-
I'd be curious to see how a steamer works. Ans yes this grape juice is ready to drink straight from the jar.
Just had to thank you. You got my son to finish his breakfast. :) See he has been sick for a week and his appetite has been kind of poor. Anyway, this morning I was reading your blog as I was feeding him breakfast (confession time!) and he decided he was done when he was only halfway through. Well, he saw your grape pictures and started going yum, yum and suddenly he wanted to finish his cereal! So thanks!
ReplyDeleteI also really enjoyed this post. You did a great job and your pics are wonderful (mine always look so dark!). The way you did grapes does look pretty easy. People always say using a juicer helps you get more juice and it is supposed to taste the best. I really don't know though.
Ha! I often read blogs too while feeding my daughter her breakdast! :-)
ReplyDelete